The Enemy of my Enemy
by Crewx
Summary: A group of friends within the Kor'kron Guard, as well as soldiers of the Alliance, come at odds in this story. But when the Hour of Twilight looms forward, will the Horde and Alliance set aside their differences for the better of Azeroth? Conflicts 4.3.
1. Warchief's Command

First story. The main characters derive from my friends from the Warcraft forums. I hope they catch wiff of this, and be happy.

DISCLAIMER: All Warcraft Characters and Places are property of Blizzard. Not me. And most of the characters I didn't make, but were made by the hard work of my fellow WoW players.

Anyway, enjoy this story, the chapters aren't as long as I'd like but go figure. Maybe they'll get longer. Enjoy reading!

**Prologue**

"Thisss is a tale, mortal... A tale of an event not ssso long ago...

A tale of heroesss... Of victory... Of death...

I wasss there that day. The day the Dessstroyer met his end...

The day that enemiesss lowered their weaponsss... And fought together for a common goal...

I remember it as if it were only yessterday...

But to me... Ssso doesss every day..."

**Chapter One Warchief's Command**

The bright Azerothian sun peeked its way over the horizon. The cool water heated as An'she spread his warmth across the sky. And, in a place like the Echo Isles, it was particularly enjoyable. Nestled in his hammock, almost oblivious to the world around him, a Darkspear troll slept. But as the palm leaves began to sway in the morning winds and critters began to arise, so did he. He let out a yawn, and the sun's light danced off of his tusks. He looked to his left and smiled at the figure next to him. A Raptor - A Troll's best companion - slept in the sand next to his hammock. He looked to his right, and his ears drooped slightly. A large indent in the sand, the size of a Kodo, marked the absence of something. The Troll sighed and stood up.

"Let's be goin' Veloci. Ya remember what today is, don'cha?" The raptor, known as Veloci, blinked her eyes open and yawned, showing off her impressive teeth. She looked up and the Troll and stood, and gently bumped her head against the Troll's chest - an affectionate gesture. The Troll laughed and patted her head.

"Let's be goin', den." Pyronaptor responded to his friend. They had to walk across the Isles toward the mainland. They passed through the training grounds, which were largely empty save for the seemingly endless training targets used by youngblood Darkspear. Pyronaptor himself never actually trained here. He was raised with Orcs in the Valley of Trials long before the Echo Isles were taken back from the mad Witch Doctor, Zalazane. Pyronaptor remembered the day Zalazane fell, and he looked back on it with pride. His tribe was finally able to reclaim their homeland. He and Veloci walked across the bridge to the mainland.

The Echo Isles, as a whole, was a stronghold. Tall fences, stone walls, defensive structures, and the jungle inside made it a good home. Sen'jin Village, however, was not so. Sen'jin Village had been the Darkspear's former headquaters, for lack of a better word. Where the Isles had an extensive jungle, Sen'jin had barely any plant life. Where the Isles held many huts and the great Darkspear Hold where Vol'jin himself laid his head, Sen'jin was a small fishing village, comprising of only a few huts. But it did its job well in its day. Pyronaptor walked through the village to his friend, Handler Marnlek, the Bat Handler of the Village.

"Hey dere, Marnlek." Pyronaptor spoke. "I trust de bats have been treating you well?" Marnlek responded.

"Let de Forsaken try to use their Vampire Bats, mon, but dere's not'in like a Darkspear bat, best wings in de sky. Where can I be sendin' ya, mon?"

"Orgrimmar. You know of de summons to the Kor'kron."

"You still dealin' with dat Orcish organization?" Marnlek scoffed. Many Darkspear looked down on the Orcs for essentially kicking them out of Orgrimmar, the Horde capital city, although the Warchief allowed them to make a home of the Valley of Spirits. "You'd be better off stayin' here, mon." Marnlek continued. "No more suicide missions. Let Hellscream fall so we can laugh at him."

"You know dere be greater threats out dere, Marnlek. We can't continue to fight within da Horde when de world itself is broken." Pyronaptor closed his eyes and nodded, and Veloci softly purred at him. "You remember dat day, don't you? When we retook the Isles? Orcs were dere too, as were Undead, Blood Elf, and Tauren. We are de Horde. And we can't keep fightin' like dis."

Marnlek nodded. "I suppose ya be right, mon. I'll get a bat ready for you and Veloci." Marnlek smiled at the raptor, which, at this point, was used to flying on other beasts.

Flying over Durotar makes it hard to believe the Echo Isles thrive so close. The place was a desert, void of a lot of plant life. Pyronaptor held on tight to his companion as the two of them rode the bat to the Orcish city of Orgrimmar. Seeing the city from a distance was one thing. But flying over its main gates was another. The city seemed much more of a stronghold or a military base than a city where children and citizens live. This was the handiwork of the late Warchief Garrosh Hellscream, who thought the city could use the facelift.

Pyronaptor landed, and greeted the Orcish Flight Master Doras when he got off his bat. Doras had sent Pyronaptor on many, many Wyvern rides in the past, and the state of the Orcs toward the Trolls did not make bars in their friendship. They didn't talk much though, just a quick greeting and Pyronaptor was off. As he walked toward the elevator, he was greeted by a familiar face.

"Pyro!" Spoke the larger person. "It's been too long, friend." Pyronaptor clasped hands with the larger one. He was a Tauren, muscular and proud. His black coat, complimented by his plate armor, gleamed in the sunlight. "How do you fare?"

Pyronaptor started toward the elevator, the Tauren and Veloci not too close behind. "Titan, my friend, its good ta see you." Pyronaptor glanced at his hands, which were now covered in frost.

"Sorry about that, friend." Titan responded. Titan's full name was Titanrage. And he was no mere Tauren. He was a Death Knight, a Kor'kron Darkreaver as it were. With this, the aura around Titan was always cold, even in the hot Durotar sun. While most Death Knights were cold and bitter, like many seem to be, Titan was not. He was every bit as honorable as he had been in life. Yes, he was undead, as all Death Knights raised by the Lich King were. When Darion Mograne, Death Knight of Acherus broke free of the Lich King's control, so did all the Death Knights of Acherus. Titan was unlike many of his fellow Knights, however. In life, he had been a proud warrior of the Earthmother, and he viewed his ressurrection as a second chance at fulfilling her duty. He wasn't above any Death Knight ailments, however. While he would rather go to Thunder Bluff and listen to the teachings of the Shaman and the Earthmother, he joined the Kor'kron Guard during the War in Northrend to sate his need to inflict pain, which all Death Knights had to do.

The two of them walked through the Valley of Strength. Grommash Hold, large and menacing, dominated the Valley. The other stores and shops around seemed as if they were craft shops of siege weapons and war machines, not the carriers of groceries and clothing as they were truthfully.

"I trust you are here because of the summons?" Titan asked Pyronaptor.

"Of course, mon. Where de Kor'kron go, we are needed." Pyronaptor was a member of the Kor'kron Guard as well, working as a scout and a headhunter, lending his bow and spear to the Horde. He had fought against the Scourge in Northrend alongside Titan, and they both had marked themselves with the blood of their enemies as trophies. "I can't help but wonder what Garrosh wants with us now.

"Well, I guess we can only guess. After all, Ragnaros has fallen and Hyjal is safe. I don't know of any other fronts of war we could be sent to." The two of them approached the Warchief's Command Board outside Grommash Hold, which didn't have any clues as to why they had been summoned that day. Before either of them could say anything else, the sound of hoofs could be heard approaching. It was a Tauren, two battleaxes sheathed in his waist. It was Korojin; a Kor'kron Primal that Titan had introduced Pyronaptor to in Northrend.

"Hey there guys, ready for the meeting?" Korojin asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be, I suppose." Titan responded. "Any idea of what it's about?"

"Not a one. But whatever it is, it's no match for my fury!" Korojin had a bit of a temper. He wasn't like most Shaman, Most Shaman implore the elements, asking for aid and praying to the ancestors, but not Koro. He used his gift and bent the elements to his will, without begging on bent knee for aid. It was an unorthodox approach that was looked down upon by the Earthen Ring and many Shaman everywhere, save the Taunka, Tauren relatives from Northrend who bent the elements to their will rather than asking them for help.

The time for this meeting was approaching, and the three of them strode into Grommash Hold. The Kor'kron Guard there saluted them, though Pyronaptor got a few looks. The Orc-Troll relationship had dwindled since Garrosh's rule, and discrimination was not uncommon. It was never extreme – a look or glance or a scoff, but nothing too serious. Pyronaptor didn't mind. Many soldiers stood within the Hold, of many races and many disciplines. Veloci huddled close to her master nervously, anxious of a Tiger another Hunter was rearing across the Hold. Pyronaptor comforted her and looked to the Warchief.

The Warchief, Garrosh Hellscream, in short, was one hell of an Orc. He was the son of Grom Hellscream, the Orc who freed the rest of the Orcs from demon slavery. This made him a proud and fierce warrior, and the old Warchief, Thrall, could see this and sent him to lead the Kor'kron Guard to Northrend. After the victory against the Lich King, Thrall had left the Horde to help the breaking world, and left Garrosh as Warchief. This stirred much controversy, and led to the unfortunate death of Cairne Bloodhoof at Garrosh's hand, even though it wasn't Garrosh's fault directly. After that, Vol'jin and the Darkspear had their falling out with the Warchief, but trolls like Pyronaptor didn't let it get to them.

"Kor'kron!" Garrosh exclaimed. His voice carried across the Hold, and was likely even heard outside. "As you all well know, we have been successful in our war against Twilight's Hammer. Cho'gall is dead, and we succeed across every front! Your ancestors would be proud! But now is the time to make the final strike!" All murmurs within the crowd stopped. "We have been informed by our dragon allies when the 'Hour of Twilight' is to fall. The Bronze dragonflight has given us the information we need to be ready!" He spoke of the Bronze dragonflight, led by Nozdormu, the Timeless One. They were the guardians of time, and ensured that it flowed properly.

"Why would the Bronzes tell us of this?" A voice erupted from the crowd. Pyronaptor recognized it. It was Hecatomb, a Kor'kron Necrolyte, and his Felhound Phuughun. Warlocks such as him were looked down upon from the Horde as a whole, especially by Garrosh. It took a daring Warlock, such as Hecatomb, to call out the Warchief. "Seems strange to me, normally we would never be allowed to know something from the future by the Bronzes" He was right. The Bronzes had sent heroes into the past before, but never before have they given them insight into the future. People began to murmur withn the crowd.

"Silence Necrolyte!" Garrosh yelled. "This is a gift, and it ensures us the safety of Azeroth! Something a Warlock like yourself likely cares nothing about! The Bronze dragonflight protects this world just like the other dragons do, and by giving us this information, they ensure its protection!" Hecatomb growled under his breath and crossed his arms. Garrosh continued. "This is to begin at Wyrmrest Temple in Northrend. Deathwing is to lead an assault onto the Temple himself! And he will find the might of the Horde waiting for him!" Garrosh let out a war cry, and many of the warriors – Koro included – lifted their voices as well. Pyronaptor smiled. It was moments like these, when it felt like a Horde, that made him feel proud to be a part of it. Now, it was the time to prepare.


	2. Hero's Call

First chapter went over better than I anticipated. I'm happy for the good words people have been giving me. As we move on, we'll see the other side of the coin... I'm starting to think it might have been better if this was part of the first chapter, but whatever. What's done is done, may as well move on.

For the record, I already have all of the characters I'm using for this story. The entire plot, scene by scene, has already played out in my head. I just need to add some things, flesh it out, finish it off. Bada bing, bada boom. But I'm only going to post a chapter once every bit of days. Maybe 3 days, maybe 4 days to a week. Who knows. Whatevs. This chapter isn't as long as I would like either, but what the heck. it's longer than chapter one, and hopefully I'll be able to make later chapters longer when things start heating up. Not sure how many chapters i'm aiming for but we'll see what the future brings.

Without further delay, here's chapter two!

**Chapter 2: Hero's Call**

A Night Elf donning white, holy robes and a bright, purple staff walked through the districts of Stormwind. Her glorious, silver hair flowed as a river in jungles of Sholazar Basin, and in her hands, she carried a scroll held within a silver case. Her name was Ailyne, and she was sent to Stormwind from her home in Darnassus to deliver a message. Normally, a sentinel would do the job, but this was a matter of importance – though Ailyne did not know what. They hadn't told her what it was, and while she was curious, she didn't peek at the scroll.

She walked through the streets toward Stormwind Keep, where she was to meet someone from the 7th Legion. Passing through, she got a few looks from some humans. She didn't have a particular fondness for humans, some of them were good and honorable, although some were less than so. She got a few… dirty… looks walking through, but she kept her head held high and walked as fast as she could without looking strange. She didn't have a particular fondness for Stormwind either. It was a good city, for what it did. She just found she preferred the moonwells and wisps back home to the constant sounds of craft going on through the day. As she approached Stormwind Keep, a Draenei stepped out in front of her. A female Draenei, although instead of the bright blue skin that Draenei normally have, this one had darker skin, and her glowing blue eyes gave her away as a 7th Legion Darkcaller – a Death Knight. She had a heavy Runehammer strapped to her back, and it gave off an eerie blue glow.

"You are the courier from Darnassus, yes?" The Draenei spoke. The sound of cracking ice could be heard in the Darkcaller's voice.

"My name is Ailyne, Priestess of the Moon. Here is the message. Might I ask what is it for?" The Draenei didn't answer, and opened the case, and look at the scroll inside. She nodded, and smiled.

"Yes... This is just what I was waiting for..." She closed the scroll. "My name is Nelaniena, you can call me Nel. I'm sure you're wondering what this is for?" Ailyne nodded. And Nel smiled sinister like. "We're planning an assault, in Ashenvale, against the Orcs. We of the 7th legion won't let them push you Elves around anymore." Ailyne's eyes widened. Ashenvale was ancestral homeland to her people, its forests sacred to them. Long ago, Grom Hellscream – the father of the Warchief Garrosh – had brought the Warsong Clan of Orcs into Ashenvale in order to harvest lumber. This never sat well with the Night Elves, and when their Demigod Cenarius arrived to defend the forest, the Orcs, infused with the blood of demons, killed the demigod. They've warred ever since. Ailyne herself did not like war. While it was understandable that the Orcs and Elves would fight, she always hoped herself for a more peaceful resolution.

"Well… When and how is this supposed to happen, Darkcaller?" Nel smiled and answered.

"All will be revealed, if you'll follow me. We asked for you to deliver this, instead of a sentinel, for a reason. We need soldiers to send to Ashenvale, and we require you're help to heal our wounded so we can prepare them for battle." Nel smiled again. "Surely you would help us prepare the troops to aid your people?" Ailyne nodded.

"Of course, if you'd show me to them, I'd do what I could." As they walked, no human looked in her direction. It was odd, to say the least. Normally, at least a few humans turned eyes when a female walked by. Nel could notice the look of confusion in Ailyne's eyes.

"Don't worry, none of them will bother you as long as you're with me." Nel grinned. "If they do, I'll have some fun with them myself." Death Knights had a built in need to inflict pain upon other beings. And Nel looked as if it wasn't something she was above doing to a commoner if it was needed. Then again, Ailyne was appreciative of the protection. You never know what kind of people you'd meet in a city the size of Stormwind. It was massive, much larger than Darnassus (Though smaller than Teldrassil which Darnassus was inside). Thousands upon thousands of people lived in the city. They passed through the Dwarven District toward Cathedral Square, where the wounded were taken for healing and prayer. As they walked into the Cathedral, there were more wounded than Ailyne had expected.

"Oh wow… How many do you have here?" She asked.

"Nearly a hundred, but not quite that much. Many of them are wounded from the wars against the Twilight's Hammer. Most of them aren't as wounded as you might think them to be at first glance, the wimps." Ailyne chuckled and murmured a soft prayer to Elune to bless her healing abilities. As they walked through, Ailyne couldn't help but notice a scantily armored human. She was a female in plate armor, quite revealing plate armor, that shined a bright golden color alongside of her bright skin. Nel couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Ailyne's face. "Surprised? Would you believe me if I told you she was a Paladin?" This made it even stranger, as to why someone of powerful faith would dress as such – in a Cathedral no less – was quite odd indeed. "Come, I'll introduce you." Nel led Ailyne to the human. "Lull! I've brought the Priestess!" The human turned to face them. The human's golden hair was complimented by a rose she held in her ear. She smiled cheerfully at the two as they approached.

"Hello there, Night Elf. My name is Lull, Champion of the Argent Crusade." Ailyne bowed, somewhat at a loss for words, and Nel laughed in her twisted, Death Knight way. Ailyne finally worked up the courage to speak.

"Pardon me for asking, Champion, but… Why do you wear so little armor? Surely it can't be a boon in battle." Lull merely smiled and answered.

"I wear it to make a point. I don't need heavy armor to protect me in battle. The Light is my shield, and it protects me from harm. As long as my faith is true, this shall remain so, and I will not falter in battle." Indeed, none of her open spots had any signs of battle scars or bruises, and her weapon had obviously seen battle, as it was worn. Ailyne smiled.

"Your faith is so strong, and it shows." Ailyne bowed again, before turning to a nearby soldier to heal. Many of the soldiers were only barely wounded. Others had massive cuts and broken bones. This was going to be a lot of work, but Ailyne knew it was nothing she couldn't handle.

Roughly an hour had passed, and Ailyne and Lull together were able to heal and release every soldier in the Cathedral. Some of them said prayers to the Light as before they left. Nel approached the two.

"Alright, time to get down to business. We're to meet with King Varian Wrynn himself in order to plan this assault. I don't think he'll be in the battle personally, but he is to help us make a plan." Lull and Ailyne nodded, and as they went toward Stormwind Keep, Lull had all the attention of the passer-bys. This made Nel laugh, and she glared at a few humans who got too close. As they walked inside the Keep, the Guards saluted their entrance. The King was sitting on his throne. "Wait here." Nel said. And they both did. Nel saluted as he approached Varian, who saluted back. They talked for a moment before Nel gestured for them to approach.

"Good day, ladies." Varian spoke. The three of them bowed in the presence of their King.

"Your majesty..." Lull spoke. "The Priestess is here. Her name is Ailyne. Now, what would you have of us?"

"Nel already knows of what is to transpire. You three are to lead an assault onto the Orcs in Ashenvale. Nel has told you?" Varian turned to Ailyne.

"No, she didn't!" Ailyne nearly panicked. She didn't like battle, even watching one was hard for her, and the Orcs were a particularly savage enemy. "Forgive me, your majesty, but I don't think I'm cut out for a battle such as this."

"They will need your words of healing on the battlefield, Elf. The words of a Priest or Shaman could turn the tide in a battle. And this... This could be our chance! The Orcs, from what I've learned, are already losing ground in Ashenvale. Now is the time to deal a killing blow." Ailyne merely nodded. Lull spoke.

"Don't worry, your majesty, Light willing, I'll make sure she's ready in time." Lull smiled.

"If it's all the same, I'd like to return to Darnassus first. Pray a bit, seek words of wisdom from the druids and priests." Ailyne gave a soft smile. Varian nodded.

"Well then. Let's get down to business." He took the scroll, and began to speak strategy. "You begin at Astranaar. From there, Nel will lead the charge on Hellscream's Watch." Hellscream's Watch was made to do just that. It was the Horde keeping a watch over Astranaar. It was a small outpost. A few guards, some armorers and Wyverns. It was an easy target for the 7th legion. "Once there, it is important that none survive." Ailyne's heart skipped a beat. "None. Not even the Wyverns must be permitted to escape. With anyone left alive, there is a chance they could escape to Silverwind or Zoram'gar. Take no prisoners." Nel cracked her knuckles.

"Just how I like it... Tomorrow then? How will we be getting there?"

"A ship is arranged to take you and Lull, as well as your small army, to Darkshore. You move from there. Stay out of sight of Zoram'gar, and kill any Horde you find." Nel nodded, and gave an evil grin. Ailyne seemed a little distraught.

"After Hellscream's Watch is taken, use any of the weapons or armor you find there to your advantage. When night falls, you move with the Sentinels to the Peak." He spoke of Thunder Peak, a small mountain in the middle of Ashenvale. When the Cataclysm hit, it became an active volcano, toped by an angry fire elemental named Lord Magmathar. He has since been banished back to the Firelands, and the volcano is no longer active. "Under the dead of night, the Sentinels and any other Elves will be invisible. You are to open fire on the working Orcs, and then the 7th legion will make their charge. Leave no survivors. Once Silverwind is retaken, we'll use it as a staging point to destroy Splintertree Post." Varian marked an X on each of the three Horde encampments - Hellscream's Watch, Silverwind Refuge, and Splintertree Post. Ailyne nodded and held her arm.

"I guess I'll see you two in Astranaar in a few days." She spoke. "I'm glad to meet both of you." Nel grinned.

"We will shed Horde blood together, and then we shall become sisters of battle." Nel clearly reveled in combat. It wasn't an unusual trait for a Death Knight to enjoy fighting either. The aura of cold Nel gave off was a bit unsettling. Ailyne thanked Elune that she was on her side.

"May the Light bid you rest upon your return home, Ailyne." Lull smiled and seemed to radiate pure light, a good counterpoint to Nel's dark presence. She gave Ailyne a light hug, and Ailyne hugged her back.

"I'll say a word of prayer for the both of you when I return. Thank you." Ailyne pulled away and pulled a small stone out of her satchel. The stone was adorned with blue runes, giving off a faint glow. The glow began to intensify, as she closed her eyes and pictured her home in her mind. With every passing second, the mental image started to look more, and more real.

Upon opening her eyes, she was back in Darnassus. The tool she used was a Hearthstone – a rare, magical artifact one can use to return to a place they had attuned themselves to. She relaxed, relieved to be home. As she walked through the city, she felt comfortable around her own people. The aura of the World Tree Darnasuss was built inside of consoled her, strengthening her for the battle. She sat by a moonwell and thought about the days to come. As the aura around the blessed waters filled her spirit with strength and healing, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to nap, leaning against the side of the well. It was rest much needed, for the days ahead would prove much more than she would anticipate.

* * *

><p>Pyronaptor hopped on the back of a Wyvern. Titanrage and Korojin we beside him.<p>

"What happened to Jorus, Pyro?" Titan asked. Pyronaptor sighed and responded.

"He just up and left one day sayin' dat dere was some'tin important he had to do. I miss him..." Veloci cuddled against her master, comforting him. Jorus was a dear friend of Pyronaptor's - A Nether Drake. During the War in Outland, many heroes arose to help the Netherwing Brood or dragons against the corrupted Dragonmaw Clan of orcs. These were different than the Dragonmaw in Azeroth, in that they were Fel orcs, infused with demonic power. Many answered the Netherwing's call, and some made friends within the flight. Drakes, like Jorus, vowed to carry their heroes to the end of the land and back.

"I'm sure he shall return soon, friend." Titan's words gave Pyronaptor more confidence. The three looked up, and saw Hecatomb walking up, his Felhound not far behind. Pyronaptor gritted his teeth slightly.

"Necrolyte, dat was a bold move of ya to speak out against Garrosh like ya did. Do ya be havin' a death wish?" They all looked to the Warlock.

"No, I do not. I just spoke my own mind. Surely we're all guilty of that from time to time." He crossed his arms. "Off to Silverwind, are you?" They nodded.

"We are to double the lumber productions. Hellscream needs that word for his machines and weapons. And by my axe, he shall have them." Koro spoke with confidence. He seemed to be a true warrior in Hellscream's Horde, proud and not afraid to fight. "We'll need all we can get against the Twilight's Hammer, and Deathwing. Are you coming too, Heca?" The Warlock smirked at his new nickname.

"Heca? Am I in your little group now as well? No. I'm going back to Silvermoon to do some errands of my own, visit the Sunwell. But surely you three are more than enough to chop some wood." He said jokingly, and laughed.

"We go wherever the Horde needs us. And if we need to chop wood, then that's what we'll do." Titan held a hand over his chest, a Horde salute.

"Well, I wish you luck. Kill some Kaldorei for me while you're there." Kaldorei was an ancient word for Night Elf. There were daily assaults on Silverwind, but with the three of them there, lumber production would increase without a hitch. They nodded goodbye to the Warlock, and on their Wyverns, took flight toward Silverwind.

* * *

><p>What! Silverwind! Isn't that where our Alliance heroes are heading!<p>

Things are going to get dicey for our heroes, Horde and Alliance alike. I wonder what'll happen next? Come back next time!

*queue Saturday morning cartoon credits*


	3. Twist of Fate

Chapter Two: Twist of Fate

"Ready! Move," Korojin commanded the grunts at Silverwind Refuge. "We need more lumber for our battle at Wyrmrest! Don't dilly dally!" Korojin was always one to bark orders at people. He, Pyronaptor, and Titanrage had been sent to Silverwind Refuge to help defend the place against incursions so that lumber production would increase for the coming battle. Koro was letting their position get to his head a bit.

"Koro, we be here as protection, not to wake up every Orc from here to Splintertree. Quiet down – it be da middle of da night and some of da grunts be gettin' sleep. I swear, you're gonna make Thunder Peak erupt again." Pyronaptor gestured to the now dormant volcano not far from the Refuge.

"I'm just trying to keep lumber production steady. No need to anger the Warchief." Koro responded.

"I bet he can hear you all de way in Orgrimmar, and he's pissed at you for waking him up." Pyronaptor chuckled at his own joke, Veloci rolled her eyes.

"Let's remember why we're here, friends." Titanrage spoke. "We're here to further the Horde war effort. Not to squabble amongst ourselves. I'm going to rest for the night. Koro, please don't wake me up, or Earthmother help me you'll be dangling off Thunder Peak when I awake." Titan and Pyro laughed, and Titan retreated into the Refuge.

"I'm surprised we ain't seen any elves yet, mon. On a normal night dey'd have come to stop us." Pyronaptor scratched his chin.

"They must know we're here, and know better than to attack this night." Korojin nodded to himself. "They're cowering under the sight of Hellscream's Watch. Shame. I was hoping we'd get some action tonight."

* * *

><p>Hellscream's Watch was a bloodbath. The assault, led by Nel, was more than successful. They left nothing to show, not even the Wyverns were left alive. Ailyne would be arriving soon to heal the wounded and assist in the invasion against Silverwind. Nel stood with her blade embedded in an Orc skull, quite content with herself. Lull was next to her, murmuring a small prayer to the Light to watch over their fallen enemies and to bless them for the fight ahead.<p>

"Why bother praying for these Orcs? They are the enemy, you know." Nel spoke to Lull.

"They still fought for their own kind, and what they believed in. They died with honor, and the Light will bless them in the afterlife." Lull smiled, and Nel shrugged.

Ailyne arrived at Astranaar first, where she met with some sentinels who gave her a short briefing. She got on her Nightsaber to ride up to Hellscream's Watch. Along the way, she was able to see many Orc corpses on the road. A frown showed upon her face. Was this what the Elves and Orcs were to be forever, and by extension, the Alliance and the Horde? To be mortal enemies who serve no purpose but to kill the other? It sure looked that way.

The air was filled with the scent of blood, and Ailyne could hardly stand it. She recognized Lull and Nel from across the Watch. Lull, who seemed as happy as always, and Nel, who was cleaning blood off of her Runehammer. As she approached, Lull looked up and saw her.

"Ailyne! Good day, you missed an honorable battle. We fought valiantly and Hellscream's Watch is ours." She opened her arms to embrace Ailyne, who gave a weak response.

"I can see that… So much bloodshed everywhere. Elune give me strength, I'm not used to this." She gave a small gag as she held back her food.

"Get used to it, Ailyne! You're going to be in a battle soon yourself!" Nel exclaimed excitedly. "Come nightfall, we're going to Silverwind. I hope you can use that thing." She gestured to the staff tied to Ailyne's back. "You're gonna need it."

* * *

><p>Pyronaptor looked into the forest. It was deep and thick. Perfect predatory grounds, he thought. Everyone else in the Refuge had since retired to bed, save himself, Veloci, and a handful of grunts. He leaned lazily on his spear, and Veloci was lying on the ground by his feet. The night watch had been boring. Not a bird chirped, not a moth's wings rustled in the bushes. It was almost too quiet, Pyronaptor thought. As he – Wait.<p>

"Wait a second." He sniffed the air. "Veloci, you smell dis?" The Raptor stood up and sniffed the air, and growled. "I smell it too…" He stood up, spear in hand, and released a Flare into the trees. If anything was hiding, the light of his Flare would give it away. Oddly, he saw nothing. He started to walk toward the forests to look, but was cut off my Veloci's roar. He looked to Thunder Peak, where a small army of Night Elves and Humans stood across the small river. His eyes widened, and he grabbed the horn off of his belt and blew it as hard as he could.

The thwang of arrows flying through the air echoed as the Night Elf sentinels released their payload. Pyronaptor cook cover, just as grunts and soldiers started to rise from their beds. Many of them looked outside to see a wave of arrows flying down onto the ground. Some were lit, setting fire to the lumber they had collected.

"Shamans! Put de flames out!" Pyronaptor started to give out orders.

"And here I thought you said not to wake the dead with yelling?" Koro said jokingly. "I've been waiting for this all day! Grunts, soldiers, to me! We fight them at Thunder Peak!" Many orcish grunts, now up from their beds, grabbed their battle axes and ran after Koro as they charged toward the small army at the peak. Axes and Swords clanged as Orc grunt met Human marine. Wyverns, awoken by the Flight Master, flew into the fray as well, some swooping to strike troops, some with Orcs on their backs as ranged support. Titan ran to Pyro, who was still giving orders at the Refuge.

"Pyro! What in the Earthmother's name is going on here!' Titan had his mace in his hand.

"Dis small army came out of de forest, using night to cover dem. No time ta be talkin', mon! Save your breath for de battle!" Pyronaptor and Titan leaped across the water. Titan swung his hammer, striking one marine in the chest and sending it flying across the battlefield.

Korojin was in the thick of it, killing marine after marine. His axes, imbued with wind and fire, struck blow after blow after blow. From across the battlefield, he spotted a Draenei with dark skin, who was fighting 5 Orcs at once – and winning. In a few strikes of her Runehammer, she fell 3 of them, and killed the other two soon after. She looked toward him, and they made eye contact.

"You will not see the light of another day, Shaman!" yelled the Death Knight. Korojin tried to resist, but was unable to fight against her as she bent the matter around him, yanking him clear through the air to her. He used the momentum from the pull to strike out with one of his axes, but the Death Knight was quick to act, parrying the blow. She leapt back a distance, and swung her sword in the air, sending a wave of disease and corruption toward him. He quickly stepped to the side, and what would have otherwise been a deadly spell merely grazed his right arm. He grinned. He was going to enjoy the challenge, and he charged at her.

Titan had made his own way onto the battlefield. He let out a loud, distorted cry and swung his hammer, spreading death and disease in his wake. In the name of the Earthmother, he let out a pestilence of disease throughout the battlefield. Alliance soldiers fell under the freezing fever or death. But there was a paragon of light not far that resisted his spread. He approached it, and saluted his new opponent. A scantily clad human, who radiated light - A Paladin. He slamed his hammer on the ground, and from it erupted a massive shockwave of decay and death. The glowing red substance licked and scratched at the Paladin's feet.

"I will not fall to you, Unholy monster!" She cried out, and let out a shock of holy energy. He buckled under the Light's power.

"By the Earthmother, I shall not falter under your false Light!" He charged, the runes on his hammer glowing profusely. He swung his hammer overhead. The human leaped backward to dodge the blow. When he looked up, a sword was coming right for him. He leaned to his right, putting the handle of his mace in the swing, parrying the blow. She left herself exposed, and he charged headfirst, attempting to gore the human with his horns. But his horns bounced off of her skin like plate armor.

"You are no match for the Light's protection!" She swung her fist in a low, uppercutting arc, striking him in the skin. it barely moved him. He was a Tauren after all. He laughed, and stomped his hoof deep into the ground. From there, a dark, diseased energy desecrated the ground around him.

"Your Light won't protect you on Unholy ground!" He swung his own fist, in a way similar to her, striking her in the jaw. This sent her flying into the air, and she landed on her back. She was quick to get back on her feet, and after a small, glorious, word of healing, she readied her sword for another assault.

Meanwhile, Pyronaptor had camouflaged. His skin color changed to the environment around him. He knew that with a fighting force this large, the Alliance had battle healers, and taking out the healers would take out their most powerful backing force. He spotted a Dwarven Shaman, who was casting spells to heal and strengthen his troops. Pyronaptor snuck up from behind, and drove his spear through the Dwarf's back. It stuck out of his chest, killing the dwarf in seconds. He threw the dwarf off of his spear and sheathed it, fading back into the color of the environment. He kept stalking around the battle to find all of the healers. If he could remove their magical forces, then the rest of the army would buckle beneath their might.

As he stealthily tip-toed across the base of Thunder Peak, he saw his next target – a Night Elf Priestess on the western end of the Field. He slowly approached, his spear in hand, ready to run it through her frail body.

* * *

><p>The attack on Silverwind wasn't as successful as they would have hoped. Ailyne sat on the sidelines, sending out words of prayer to soldiers throughout the battle. She had lost Nel and Lull in the dust and blades, and had no intention of diving into the crossfire. They would be fine. They were powerful warriors. She looked over and saw the dead body of a Dwarf Shaman. She gagged at the sight - there was a hole in his back, and the ground ran red with his blood. He was beyond her help. She saw small indents in the ground where he was. Footsteps! It must have been a rogue!<p>

"Rogue!" She cried out in warning to her allies. "There is a rogue-" She quickly turned around and brought her staff in front of her in a wide arc, parrying a stab from a long spear. The spear was being held by a troll, who, in an attempt to intimidate her, licked his lips exaggeratedly. She knew the Darkspear were no longer cannibals, so the attempt to fear her failed. She sent a wave of darkness into the trolls mind, assaulting him with thoughts of death and pain. He recoiled and leaped back. He stabbed his spear into the ground and pulled a bow off of his arm, and drew an arrow. Ailyne thought, "A hunter!" She was able to put up a shield around herself as an arrow flew through the air toward her. The arrow stopped and stuck itself in the shield. It began to crack, and fell away, the arrow harmlessly falling to the ground. The Troll scowled. Ailyne kept her eyes open for a beast - hunters were always accompanied by them. But she found none.

The Troll pulled his spear out of the ground and rushed toward her, ready to run her through. She had no choice but to parry again with her staff. The hunter quickly sheathed his bow around his chest and struck, time after time. And every time she was able to dodge or parry the strike. Then she let out a strike with her staff. After she parried a blow, it sent the spear up high. She used the opportunity and swung her staff wide, striking the troll in the side with it's length. He winced, but didn't falter, and grabbed her by the shoulders of her robes. He proceeded to fall backward - kicking her as he did. She was sent flying through the air, and she landed hard on a hill. She looked behind her, and there was a small drop. A drop that anyone could make, but to fall down ment injury. She looked to the troll, and grinned. The troll leaped at her, spear first.

She sidestepped, and the troll went flying down the fall. She turned around, content with herself. Now to return to healing the..

"AHH!"

She grabbed her shoulder, and went flying back. An arrow pierced her shoulder, poking out of the other side. Attached to the arrow was a rope, where the troll, standing at the bottom of the fall, had yanked to pull her down. She rolled down the hill, breaking the arrow out of her. She stood, her arm injured, unable to fight with her staff. She spoke a dark word, which ate away at the Troll's skin like fire. He backed up slightly, and looked around. There was another hill, with a much more significant drop, one that could be fatal if fallen wrong. He grinned. She kept flaying at his mind, but he wouldn't falter under her dark tricks. He leaped to the hill, out of her range of concentration. She pursued him, and cried out in pain again. A trap clamped around her leg, and the troll grinned again. Snakes began to erupt from where the trap bit her leg. She struggled to shake the snakes off, their venom was a powerful one. While she was distracted, the troll grabbed her again, and threw her as he did before, But this time, made sure she went over. And she did.

As she flew through the air, she twisted and turned, screaming, but her screams fell quiet under the clashing or blades and battlecries from the field above. The hunter leaped down the fall, using his spear to break his fall against tree branches as he approached the bottom. There she lay, panting, gasping heavily. She opened her eyes, and the troll grabbed her robe collar and put her onto her knees. From then, he took his spear and put it up to her neck. She closed her eyes, and waited for the dark, cold embrace of death to take her...


	4. An Act of Mercy

Her eyes started to flicker open. She took a few breaths and saw a figure not far from her. But she only had a few seconds before she fell into the darkness again. All she heard was, "It's okay, it be over…"

She awoke again, what felt like hours later. There was a fire, warming her body. She was lying on her back. She tried to get up but she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She clenched it, feeling not blood or a scar, but… Soft cloth? Warm cloth? It was… Emberweave cloth. Embersilk bandages to be exact, wrapped around her shoulder. She looked around, and saw a figure sleeping. Next to him was a spear, stained in blood. Her blood. He snored softly into the flickering embers. She looked around. They weren't far from the hill they had fallen down. Yes… The hill… Things started coming back to her. She looked around again. They were deep within Ashenvale, and she didn't know which way was North or where the path was or anything. She looked to the sleeping troll, who began to stir. She panicked a bit, and quickly began to play possum.

When he awoke from his sleep, he looked around. He yawned, his tusks glowing in the light of the fire. He poked at the flames with a stick, fueling the flames; he looked to the sleeping elf.

"I know you be awake, mon." He spoke. She jumped a bit out of fright, and had no choice but to sit up. "It's okay. I'm done fightin' wit'cha." He sounded frustrated, troubled. She was confused, and her face gave away that expression.

"Wait… Why would you… Spare me? You had me right there, why did you let me live?" She was perplexed. Never before had she been shown kindness by a troll, nor any member of the Horde.

"It's pointless. What do I gain? If I kill you, I just go back to de bloodbath. If you kill me, you jus do back to healin' your troops, exhaustin' your energy over pointless fightin'. De world be broken, mon. And dere be bigger problems at stake. C'mon. It's only been a few hours, mon. Be careful wit'cha arm, though. It be broken. Nasty fall I took ya for." Ailyne looked at her arm, wrapped in a sling of Embersilk and Frostweave. "C'mon, now. We should get back before our friends all kill each udda."

"Wait…" She weakly stood, balancing herself on her staff which he had placed beside her.

"What is it, mon? Deres not much time."He looked at her and waited for her responce.

"Thank you… My name is Ailyne…" She extended her good hand toward him to shake. The concept of a handshake is foreign to the Horde, and the troll clasped his hand in hers the only way he knew how.

"My name be Pyronaptor. Call me Pyro if ya like. But now isn't de time for pleasantries. We must be goin'. If de battle is still goin' on, it can't be good." He sheathed his spear and wrapped his bow around his chest, took her hand, and started to walk. She stumbled a bit, but using him and her staff as braces, she could keep up with her new found friend.l.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before they found their way up the hill. Pyro had to fend off a few bears and spiders, but he easily handled them. As they approached Thunder Peak, very few blades still clashed. As a matter of fact, all they could hear were the tired grunts of familiar people. The two looked at each other with a worried look and hurried around the hill. They found their way to the path, and as they walked up, the smell of rotting corpses and Death Knight Disease permeated the air. There was dust everywhere. And corpses. So many corpses, Horde and Alliance, littered the ground. They could hear a few blows still being landed, and they ventured into the dust. Ailyne smiled at her new friend and held out a little light from her hand. As they went through, they saw their friends, Titan, Lull, Koro, and Nel, all fighting each other, still going at it, having gone at it for hours straight. Their conditions looked terrible.<p>

Koro and Titan had masses of Tauren fur falling off their bodies. Nel's armor was brittle and cold, cracking at places. Lull's blade was dull and worn, and all of them were covered in cuts and bruises. It was painful for the two new friends to watch, and the combatants didn't even notice their approach. They kept lazily swinging their spells and weapons trying to best the other, furious intent showing on their faces. It was too much for Pyro to take.

"ENOUGH!" The combatants stopped to look at the troll and elf. But just then, they all buckled at the knees as the ground began to shake. The air around them thickened. They looked to the sky. Thunder Peak! It was erupting again! Molten lava spewed out of its top toward the heroes. Ailyne reached out with a holy hand, and, in a dramatic leap of faith, was able to yank all four of their friends out of the lava's path. "QUICK! To the refuge! Dere may still be some Wyverns!" They ran to Silverwind and Pyro rallied the few Wyverns that were there. They seemed restless, stirred up by the eruption and quake. He did his best to calm them down, but then something struck him like lightning. He looked around drastically, trying to find his best friend. "Veloci! VELOCI!" But his search was cut short when Titan swung him onto the back of a Wyvern and the 6 of them flew off.

* * *

><p>They landed a respectable distance away from the lava. Pyro leaped off of his wyvern and made a bolt back up the path to find his friend.<p>

"Pyro! No!" Ailyne sent the same hand of light to yank him back, away from the danger.

"Pyro? Who's Pyro?" Nel asked. But the ground shook again, and they all fell flat on their faces. "Brace yourselves! Aftershock!" When it was over, Pyro looked around desperately, and started to bawl profusely.

"Pyro? What's wrong?" Ailyne placed a warm hand on his shoulder. He just curled up.

"Veloci… My best friend… Veloci… I... I can't find her…" he spoke between sobs. "My Raptor… My friend for as long as I can remember! She... She must have died in da battle…" That last sentence made him cry even harder. Lull looked sympathetically at the troll. Never before had she seen a Horde race weep so. Nel saw it as weak and turned a cold shoulder and looked around at the surrounding forest, never turning her back to Titan and Koro, who were standing by a bawling Pyro. Lull walked toward him.

"Your friend may not be dead, Troll… The Light watches over us all…" She place a warm hand on his shoulder as well. Koro tensed up and Titan kept an eye on her. Nel was outraged.

"What are you doing! He is the enemy! We should strike all three of them down right now!" She drew her Runehammer, and Koro leaped in front of her.

"Don't you dare harm my comrade! Another step and I'll-"

"Stop! Both of you!" Ailyne yelled at them. She was tense and a bit angry now. "Didn't you see all of the bodies at the Peak! Pyro here spared my life, and we spoke of whats happening, and he's right! This fighting has gone on long enough! We can't keep warring in the face of the Cataclysm... Now he could be dealing with the loss of his best friend!" She narrowed her eyes at Nel. "Or have you forgotten what friendship is like, Darkcaller? Did Arthas really strip you of all of your humanity?" Nel scoffed and turned away.

"Either way. We need to get out of this forest before another aftershock hits. The Wyverns. Can they fly through the branches?" Nel spoke with a dark growl in the back of her voice.

"They aren't used to it. They normally fly over the canopy and fly through gaps in the treetops to land." Titan responded to Nel.

"I reckon Astranaar isn't far. Think we can fly them there? Would they know their own way back?"

"I suppose they would…" Titan was becoming a bit mistrustful. "Why should we trust you with our Wyverns?" Lull spoke up.

"I give you my word that they will find their way home." Lull bowed before the Darkreaver, who crossed his arms. "I suppose so… But first, we try to find Veloci." He looked to Pyro, who wasn't crying hard anymore, but was curled up in Ailyne's good arm, with Koro holding his shoulder. "I know what it's like to lose a friend… And we will not rest until he is found." Pyro gave a small smile at the offer. "Wyverns!" Titan spoke to the beasts. "Take to the canopy. Search for the Raptor. We will not rest until she is found." With that, the Wyverns took off in different directions. Nel let out an annoyed sigh.

"So until we find this beast, or its body, we're stuck in this forest? Why should I help you find this mangy animal? We were trying to kill each other not long ago..." Pyro's heart skipped a beat at the word 'body'.

"You can either help us, or walk through this forest aimlessly trying to find your way home. Without your Sentinels, you're as blind in this forest as we are. Now, we must stick together. I know that all manner of nasty spiders and bears roam these forests. Let's go." Titan led the way down the path toward the battlefield. The others, even Nel, picked themselves up and followed.

When they reached the top, the lava had hardened over the battlefield. A few arms or blade tips stuck out of the warm, hard rock that had recently taken over the base of the mountain. The soldiers were buried, and potentially Veloci with them.

"Well, if she was dead here, she gone. Can we go now?" Nel asked. She was becoming angrier by the second.

"No... She be alive..." Pyronaptor looked to the eastern part of the battlefield, where he saw an opening in the brush. There were claw marks on the ground. "Dere..." He pointed toward them. Koro walked up to the claw marks and knelt beside them. They weren't fresh, but they were evidence that Veloci was alive, maybe the battle had found it's way into the trees. Maybe she chased a soldier that tried to run away. Either way, one could argue she was alive. "I won't stop till I find her..."

* * *

><p>The crazed hisses and roars of an animal echoed throughout the camp. It had a pink skin, covered in bright scales. Blue feathers stuck out at her joints. She was unmistakable. It was Veloci. And she was in a black cage. She stared at her jailer, a human in a black robe with purple markings on his face.<p>

"Oh you're not going anywhere, clever girl… The boss has special plans for you…"

The Raptor clashed her claws and teeth against the cage bars to no avail. The bars gave off a dark aura, as did the entire camp. The ground had a desecrated, purple hue. Guards with giant maces and axes walked the ground, and Elementalists, with bound Fire Elementals in tow, marched around the camp. Sitting on perches above were dragons with purple scales, and twisted, evil looks on their faces. Toward the opening at the end of the camp was an emblem brandishing a dark mallet. Instantly recognizable.

It was the Twilight's Hammer.


	5. The Bonds of Friendship

Hmm… I came to a bit a writer's block with this chapter, but I will press on! How hard can it be anyway?

Whatevs. Let's see what awaits our heroes this episode.

* * *

><p>A Wyvern perched in a tree looked down at the ground below. He was eyeing a Twilight's Hammer camp, a small and hastily built one. Below he could see guards, elementals, the usual. But there was a reason this Wyvern was interested in the camp. Below there was a Raptor in chains. An Ogre pulled the beast out of its cage toward a pedestal where the dead remains of a Nether Dragon lay. Magisters were working to siphon the dark energies of the nether from the lifeless corpse. As the Raptor was dragged toward the body, the Wyvern's eyes widened. He quickly leaped from the tree and spread his wings to go tell of what was happening. But out of nowhere, another dragon, this one alive, flew down on the Wyvern. The lion-like beast quickly turned in midair to face the foe. The dragon spewed dark Shadowflame from its maw at the Wyvern. It roared in pain. As a response, he grabbed onto the dragon with its claws, and drove its scorpion-like tail into the dragon's belly. The poison sank deep within the dragon's veins, but did nothing to deter it. Down they fell, the dragon landing on top of the Wyvern. There, it closed its jaws down on the poor Wyvern's neck. While its mane provided some protection, the sharp fangs of the dragon pulled through, and the Wyvern's neck snapped.<p>

"Good," said a cultist watching the fight. "No one is to know of what we do here. And the beast…" He turned to see the raptor, who roared in pain as it's form twisted and deformed. "She shall be our greatest weapon in this forest… This land will burn with the master's power!" Around him, cultists laughed sinisterly, and the raptor's cries were silenced. She closed her eyes, in too much pain to move. She started to levitate as her form began to twist and grow. Her fangs grew, and she grew thorny frills behind her eyelids. She landed. The transformation was complete. She felt nothing in her soul but hate.

She opened her eyes. Only one thing was on her mind. Blood.

She walked up to the body of the dead Wyvern, and swallowed it whole. Another one was in the tree, and watched in horror. It was shrouded in leaves, unlike the other one, and the Dragons didn't spot it. The raptor's nostrils twitched. And it looked at the Wyvern, straight in the eye. She grinned a toothy grin. The Wyvern turned tail, ready to take off, but the raptor was at the base of the tree, biting the trunk, shaking it. The Wyvern fell over, trying to hold onto the branch with its claws. The raptor, the size of a full grown Devilsaur, roared up at it. It whipped the tree with its tail, and the tree toppled over. The Wyvern was crushed under the trees weight.

The Raptor roared, issuing a challenge to anyone who would threaten her new dark masters. Nothing could stop her.

* * *

><p>A few hours had passed. Nel and Koro stayed behind at the starting point to wait for the Wyvern to return. So far, none, Wyvern, Human, Elf, or otherwise, had come back.<p>

"Where are those damn beasts… Wyverns…" Nel complained.

"Don't get snippy, Darkcaller. They're still looking. Learn some patience." Koro had just as much as an attitude as the Draenei. They were arguing half of the time. And it didn't help that they hadn't heard from the others.

All of a sudden, they heard a rustling in the trees. Koro looked up, and toppling out of the leaves was a Wyvern. But, this one had an injured wing. The membrane that allowed it to fly was torn to shreds, and its left wing and back were badly burned. Both of them went to the Wyvern, who gestured to the East with his tail, before its eyes went white and rolled back in its head. Nel and Koro looked to each other. They left the now dead beast behind and ran into the forest.

* * *

><p>Pyro had been tracking the claw prints until they stopped. But they gave way to a gap in the brush. Being a hunter, he was an expert tracker, and had no problems finding Veloci's scent.<p>

"We be getting close but… Deres a scent I don recognize… Smells strange…" He looked around.

"What do you mean?" Ailyne asked. "What does it smell like?" Ailyne and Lull were both fascinated by the hunter's heightened senses.

"Smells human…" He said. "And it's not you, Lull." He smirked.

"I sense…" Titan's eyes widened. "I sense a dark magic in the forest."

"What kinda magic, mon?"

"The magic of old… Ancient… Dark… This cannot be good." Titan pointed down the path. "And it's coming from the path you're tracking. We must hurry." Behind them, Pyro heard heavy footsteps.

"Wait, mon. I hear footsteps. It's Koro and de Darkcaller." He looked behind them, and running up, panting and huffing, was Koro and Nel.

"We found… A Wyvern…" Koro said in between pants. "It died. It was… Badly injured." This caused all of them to look at each other in worry.

"We must follow the trail! There's no doubt that Veloci is wherever this dark magic is coming from!" Ailyne proclaimed. With that, they all ran through the forest toward where Titan felt the dark energy.

"Stop." Pyro whispered to them all. He put his finger over his mouth and made a 'shh' sound. There, he camouflaged, his skin and armor changing color to the area around him, and he walked ahead through the bushes, and looked out. There, he saw it. "De Twilight's Hammer…" The camp was dark, with evil ornaments brandishing the encampment. Above were Twilight Dragons perched on roosts, watching for outsiders. He went back to his friends.

When he went back to his friends, he had found they had been scooped up in the arms of a very large ogre, larger than the tallest Tauren he had ever laid eyes upon. He backed up and drew his bow when he heard a sinister voice behind him.

"Invaders? In the camp?" The man laughed. "You will not last for long. Your blood will be spilled on the alters! The masters will have your souls!" Around the camp evil cackles arose into the sky, tormenting the heroes. Pyro swiftly turned around and drew an arrow on the bow string, letting it go between the ogre's eyes. It fell with a crash, the sound silencing the cackles behind him. The friends turned toward the cultists.

"We won't allow ya to plague dese lands!" Pyro yelled his own challenge at them. And in they charged like rampaging Clefthoofs defending their young, felling cultists left and right. One after the other they fell to magic and steel. The man who led the camp ran, leaping onto the back of an armored twilight dragon, taking to the air like the coward he was.

"You have forced my hand, little mortals! Look now at what awaits you and your kind!" He pointed toward the western edge of the camp. And there he saw her. Pyro's eyes widened; the sight was too much for him to bear. There, in all of the dark glory the olden gods had bestowed upon this unwilling subject, stood a raptor, the size of a Devilsaur, roaring at them in challenge. Her pink skin and the feathers on her joints gave her away.

"Veloci…" Pyro muttered under his breath. She had been twisted by evil magic, her claws longer, two, saber like fangs sticking from her mouth, her horn curled back like a sickle. She roared and thrashed, being held in chains by two massive ogres. She pulled and pulled, but they held her back.

"Behold the power of the masters! Now, pledge allegiance to the glorious ones, or die as sacrifices to them!" The heroes took arms. Except for Pyro. He fell to his knees in disbelief. Veloci roared, turning on her ogre captives, ripping the head off one and smashing her tail into the other, sending it flying into the forest like a toy zeppelin. She turned and roared at the heroes. They charged, ready to defend their lives. But they stood little chance. Titan was the first to be struck. He swung his hammer overhead, but was sent flying like that ogre by a swift kick from the large dinosaur. Nel leaped into the air, ready to smash her Runehammer into the animal's side. But she was caught in her massive jaws in midair, and Veloci started to shake her like a rag doll. The dinosaur spun, sweeping her tail low, just missing the remaining three, but when she came back around, she opened her jaws, sending the Draenei flying into Koro, making them skid several feet away from the battlefield. Ailyne began to assault the creature's mind with dark thoughts and words, but to no avail. The animal's mind was already lost. She roared, making the two stumble on their knees, and she slammed her sickle horn into the Paladin's chest, sending her fly into one of the dragon roosts, making it collapse. Ailyne looked into the beasts eyes, as if to search for some regret or sorrow for what was being done.

She saw nothing.

The animal stood tall over the defenseless elf. She closed her eyes and prayed to Elune that this would be a swift, painless death. The animal struck downward, ready to close its jaws around the priest and swallow her whole. She quickly rolled to the side, avoiding the jaws of death. Veloci swung her head to the left, slamming the side of her face into the elf. She flew back, unconscious. From there, the dinosaur looked to the small Troll who had watched the whole thing. He was on his knees, looking down at the ground, tears falling from his eyes. Veloci took step after menacing step toward him, standing over him, and roared a challenge to the heavens above, as if to taunt the travelers themselves. She opened her mouth and went down on the Troll.

SQQUUISSHH!

...

The sound of metal piercing flesh and bone echoed through the camp. The Troll had brought his spear before him thrusting it upward through the dinosaur's mouth. She had frozen, her eyes wide, blood gushing out of her mouth. He pulled back, forcing the spear from its place in the raptor's head. She fell over, lifelessly, to the ground. Tears poured down his face as Titan called to him.

"Pyro! It was the right thing to do, friend!" But before he could continue, the man above taunted him, laughing.

"Ah ha! That was YOUR beast, hunter? This makes it all even better! Do you feel the sorrow? The pain? The endless suffering? This is what awaits the world! This is what awaits you and your kin! Do you see, hunter? Do you see!" He continued to ramble about death and fire and darkness. Pyro heard none of it. All he could hear was his own heartbeat. But he heard something else. Another thumping echoing in the endless nothingness he felt. The world melted away around him as he felt a light in the darkness. He circled the body, placing a foot upon it, and he looked to the man.

"You don undastand! De bonds of friendship are endless! De darkness will give way, as we heroes of Azeroth will never falter before you, evil one!" His hands began to give off a green aura. And Titan smiled. "You will see why you can never keep a hunter away from his lifelong companion! Dere is nothing we can't do together!" The body of the raptor started to glow as well. It began to twist and shrink, the evil aura slowly giving way to one of nature. The body floated up onto its feet as it shrank down to normal size. The horn retracted back into the skull, the tail twitching with signs of life. At the last second, the eyes of the reptile opened, and she opened her mouth. An evil, distorted roar did not come forth, but a roar of vengeance called out to the man on the dragon. "Now you will know!" Titan the grabbed the man in midair with a dark power.

"You are not alone, Pyro! Veloci is with you! I am with you! We are with you!" In a grip of death, Titan pulled and slammed the dragon onto the ground, running up and smashing the reptile's skull with his Runehammer. The beast instantly died from the concussive force of the Darkreaver's strike. The mean leaped off, drawing his scythe from his back as the others began to wake up. "Arise, friends! Veloci has returned to us!" They began to stir from their stupor.

"I will RIP the heads of that cultist clear from his feeble shoulders!" Nel quickly stood and proclaimed. They all charged at them as Titan took on a bloody presence.

"The masters be with me! All will feel their might!" He gained an unholy shield of darkness. The sounds of blades and hammers being swung, as well and the thwang of arrows and the cries of a raptor pierced the air. Titan fell victim to the man's sickle, but Ailyne spoke words of healing to keep his wounds closed and his bones mended. The man's shield began to crack. "No! This can't be happening!" The raptor roared and tackled, shattering the shield, holding him down, her jaws clenched around his head. From there, the sounds of flesh being torn from its place rang in their ears. Ailyne was used to that sound by now. The ground ran red with the man's blood, the aura of evil slowly leaving.

They all stood triumphant over the dead cultist, shouting into the air 'For Azeroth!' as the ground slowly went back to normal. They looked around. Their handiwork was everywhere. Dead cultists, a drake or two. Nothing had lived. They turned to each other.

"Maybe you guys aren't so bad after all... Well... No Wyverns. How are we supposed to get back to Astranaar now?" Nel asked. Pyro sniffed the air, as did Veloci.

"I smell Orcs. And goblin rocket fuel... We must be close to Splintertree! C'mon!" Pyro, Titan, Veloci, and Koro started off excitedly, but stopped when their friends didn't follow. Koro turned and walked to them.

"Don't worry. We'll grant you safe passage." He slapped his hand on Nel's shoulder. "You're alright, Darkcaller." Nel smirked and shrugged his hand off.

"Just get us home. I want to clean my mace." And with that, they went off to Splintertree.

* * *

><p>Since the Night Elves no longer laid siege to the post, all was quiet at Splintertree. The grunts stood guard as they normally do. The lookouts in the Guard Towers stood vigilant, when they saw the large shadows of Tauren, and the smaller shadow of other creatures. The grunts waved at the Tauren and Troll as the approached, but when they saw the Elf, Human, and Draenei behind them.<p>

"Alliance dogs! They followed you here!" The grunts shoved passed them, axes at the ready. The three 'Alliance dogs' stood ready for battle. The grunts got a swift response - Being manhandled by two large Tauren and roared at by a raptor.

"Dese be warriors or honor! Dey saved our lives, and gave dere powers to fight de Twilight Cult in Ashenvale! By my right as a Kor'kron Headhunter, I command you to stay your arms and let dem have safe passage!" The grunts, not free, stood up to the troll.

"Troll filth. We'll have your head for treason!" Koro walked up, axes in hand.

"Try it, Grunt. I dare you. We are all Kor'kron Soldiers here! You WILL do as we command!" The grunts scoffed and stood aside. They spat at the feet of the three girls as they walked into the posts. They went up to the Flight Master where Titan negotiated three Wyverns to take them back to Astranaar.

"Well, Kor'kron, you got me..." The Flight Master spoke. "They will have safe passage on our beasts." The three soldiers nodded. They turned to their new friends.

"Dis be goodbye. But don worry, we shall meet again." Pyro extended his hands to Lull and Nel, who clasped hands with him. Koro and Titan had thir goodbyes as well. Pyro turned to Ailyne with his hand, but he was caught up in her embrace instead.

"Thanks again, Pyro, for sparing my life." She hugged him tightly. Pyro didn't know what to make of it, but relaxed and awkwardly wrapped his arms around her. They released, and they got on the backs of the Wyverns. They seemed awkward, not used to these beasts, but they could handle themselves.

"I gave you my word that they would return home safely." Lull spoke. "And by the Light, I will keep that promise." The friends gave one last wave as they flew off through the trees.

* * *

><p>All's well that ends well, right?<p>

For the record, this is NOT the end of the story. Expect more! But for now, this is Crewx signing off!


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